Independent Reading

One focus at the beginning of the year is finding and reading “just right “ books. These are books that students are interested in reading independently with still a little challenge. Students need to be able to read most of the words, have a good understanding of what they are reading, and able to completely read the book in a reasonable amount of time. We visit the LMC for the purpose of finding just right books. Each month, there is a different focus and a project to complete as part of daily independent reading.

I suggest that students read a minimum of 20 minutes nightly and often this may be the only reading and writing homework I assign. As often as possible, listen to your child read and retell the story to you. Establish reading and sharing about books as part of your child’s daily routine. The more your child reads, the better chance your child has to become a successful reader.

Focus on a Series

Last month, we focused on reading fiction books in a series. Reading books in a series can assist readers with understanding more difficult text because they are familiar with the characters, plot, and author’s style. This also assists with making more accurate predictions because they can anticipate what characters will do based on other books read in the series. This familiar plot structure further assists students in summarizing information.

Some of the books students are enjoying are Nate the Great, Mr. Putter, Poppleton, Mercy Watson, Bean and Ivy, and the Jake Maddox series. We have shared and read some of these books in class to motivate students for choosing these series for independent reading. In addition to the above series, other series you may want to encourage your child to read are: The Zach Files, Amber Starts With A, Pony Pals, Secrets of Droon, and The Kootie Club Mystery series.

We need your help!!! With state testing upon us, much our class time will be spent testing. Please continue to read with your child and discuss the books they are reading. This just motivates them to read and discuss the books even more!!